The app, which provides GPS tracking of distance-based sports, including biking, running and walking, now has 5 million downloads, according to the company.

Part of the app's popularity stems from its wide availability on iPhone, Android and BlackBerry, Symbian, Windows Phone, Windows Mobile and Java phones. According to the company the app is available on more than 250 handsets and supports almost all GPS phones.

The capital will be used to increase staff (especially developers), add an office in the San Francisco Bay area, and "create scalable revenue channels to secure profitability by year end 2012."

“People do not change their lifestyles just because their doctor tells them to exercise more or eat better,” stated Mette Lykke, co-founder, Endomondo, in a press release. “It’s not that people don’t know exercising is good for them, it’s just that they lack the motivation. We don’t believe that aggregating people’s health data is gonna do the trick alone. People will change behavior when they are motivated because something caught their interest or when faced with positive social peer pressure. When users compare themselves to their peers, especially close connections like friends and family, then the fun and social factor works for fitness and they get motivated.”

Read more in the press release below.

PRESS RELEASE -- Endomondo Sports Tracker (www.endomondo.com), the fitness app that turns the mobile phone into a full-fledged personal trainer and training partner, announced today that it has raised $2.3 million in funding from SEED Capital.

The company also reached the milestone of five million downloads of its fitness app that uses the motivational factors of fun and positive social peer pressure to help users improve their fitness and health.

Endomondo will apply the funding towards increasing staff needs, especially on the development team; expanding its presence in the U.S. by adding an office in the San Francisco Bay area; and creating scalable revenue channels to secure profitability by year end 2012.

Endomondo’s mission is to make fitness more fun with social and community factors that work to inspire and motivate everyone. Users can send messages with peptalks as if they were there in person to cheer friends on during workouts and competitions. They can also follow and challenge friends, compete against each other’s workouts and share results.

"We believe Endomondo is in a unique position to lead the mobile fitness tracking market based on among others their growing and active user base and the superior rating of their app,” says Lars Andersen, General partner, SEED Capital. “Since our initial investment in Endomondo, the team has performed beyond our expectations and we are thrilled to be a part of realizing their significant growth potential – both in the US and on a global scale."

“People do not change their lifestyles just because their doctor tells them to exercise more or eat better,” said Mette Lykke, co-founder, Endomondo. “It’s not that people don’t know exercising is good for them, it’s just that they lack the motivation. We don’t believe that aggregating people’s health data is gonna do the trick alone. People will change behavior when they are motivated because something caught their interest or when faced with positive social peer pressure. When users compare themselves to their peers, especially close connections like friends and family, then the fun and social factor works for fitness and they get motivated.”

Endomondo data confirms the social factor. Endomondo users with 10 friends or more are three times more active than users flying solo within the Endomondo community. When people compete with small groups of friends in the tens of thousands of challenges created by Endomondo users, it's the fun kicking in.

About Endomondo

Launched in September 2008, Endomondo Sports Tracker turns the mobile phone into a full-fledged personal trainer and a social training partner. The app can be used for running, cycling, walking and all other distance-based outdoor sports. Using GPS, the app tracks route, distance, duration, split times, calorie consumption, and more, while providing audio feedback on performance. The app offers a full history of workouts as social features that allow users to compete with friends without giving up flexibility. The app also supports heart rate monitors on most handsets.

Endomondo.com incorporates the social community where users can challenge friends and share results. Endomondo Sports Tracker has more than 5 million downloads with exponential growth. Being available on seven mobile platforms (iOS, Android, RIM, Symbian, Windows Phone, Windows Mobile, Java), the app supports almost all GPS phones. It is the highest rated app of its kind in several of the biggest app stores.